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Erysipelas medical therapy

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Luke Rusowicz-Orazem, B.S. Maliha Shakil, M.D. [2]

Overview

The mainstay of therapy for erysipelas is antimicrobial therapy. Pharmacologic therapy for erysipelas includes either Penicillins, Erythromycin, or Cephalosporins. Empiric therapy for facial erysipelas includes either Vancomycin, Daptomycin, or Linezolid.

Medical Therapy

Antimicrobial Regimen

  • 1. Adults
  • 2. Pediatrics
  • Preferred regimen (1): Penicillin 25 to 50 mg/kg/day PO tid or qid
  • Preferred regimen (2): Amoxicillin 25 to 50 mg/kg/day PO tid
  • Preferred regimen (3): Erythromycin 30 to 50 mg/kg/day PO bid to qid
  • Preferred regimen (4): Ceftriaxone 50 to 75 mg/kg/day IV q12-24h
  • Preferred regimen (5): Cefazolin 100 mg/kg/day IV q8h
  • Facial erysipelas[2]
  • 1. Causative pathogens
  • Staphylococcus aureus
  • Streptococcus spp. (Group A, B, C, & G)
  • Enterobacteriaceae
  • Clostridium spp.
  • 2. Empiric antimicrobial therapy

References

  1. Stevens DL, Bisno AL, Chambers HF, Dellinger EP, Goldstein EJ, Gorbach SL; et al. (2014). “Practice guidelines for the diagnosis and management of skin and soft tissue infections: 2014 update by the infectious diseases society of America”. Clin Infect Dis. 59 (2): 147–59. doi:10.1093/cid/ciu296. PMID 24947530.
  2. Gilbert, David (2015). The Sanford guide to antimicrobial therapy. Sperryville, Va: Antimicrobial Therapy. ISBN 978-1930808843.

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